Notes / Commercial Description:
Our Irish-Style Extra Stout amplifies the traditional drier versions from Ireland for a bolder, black brew. The addition of both roasted barley and Dark Crystal malted barley give Extra Stout undertones of chocolate, molasses and dried fruit. The beer is generously hopped with East Kent Goldings to balance the sweetness from the malted barley.

Extra Stout is a descendent of the British and Irish porters of the 18th Century. These strong porters eventually became known as strong stout, then Foreign Stout or Extra Stout, depending on origin. Extra Stouts were exported world-wide, gaining popularity in the West Indies, Africa and parts of Asia.

S: Very sweet-smelling. Mixture of chocolate, charred/burnt flavorings and lots of dark fruit. Good mixture of chocolate and dark fruit. Most stouts are one or the other, but this one seems to have both.

Look: Both the fresh and the year-old have a nice appearance, very dark, with a rich, light colored head, like any standard stout; the older one seems to have a slightly darker head and is a little more foamy.

Smell: Both are faint, such that the older one smells of dark fruits, the fresh one smells of dark malts.

Taste: Both offer up dark malts, such that the fresh one is slightly hoppy, with a hint of coffee on the finish, and the older one has less of a bite, yet has lots of candied dark fruit, with a hint of molasses. I can barely taste the alcohol on the finish. I didn't detect any flavors I would consider to be unpleasant (or 'old') on the aged version.

Feel: both have a nice, medium to heavy mouth-feel; (edit 11/1026: very creamy mouth-feel)

Overall: I like both the fresh and the one year old, each for different reasons (as I am finding with most higher gravity beers): the fresh is just that, fresh, and has a nice hop presence, seems well balanced, and is on the dry side; the one year old has more complexity, and is on the sweet side. I've had at least a few export stouts, and this one is at least as good as any other I've tried. (edit 11/1026: I really enjoyed this beer with a year of age on it)

Had this out of a mixed 'stout bout' twelve from Schlafly. They have some nice stouts in there, but this was my favorite. Black body with red edges when held to the light. Brown head doesn't last long, but does leave some lacing. Smell is strong... rum raisin bread. Taste is dark fruit, chocolate, malty molasses, and alcohol. Mouthfeel is the best part. Super creamy, thick, smooth, drying and sweet at the same time. Syrupy feel remains on the lips... or maybe that's a numbing from the 8% abv.

Sweeter than I'd expect, but complimented by the obvious hops that balance things out without taking over. Reading the description, it looks like these characteristics were all intentional. If so, job well done SchlafLy.

L: Black with a one finger tan head. Not the most aggressive pour. The head faded pretty quickly. It also left some slight lacing when swirled in the glass. 3.75

S: This was my favorite part of the beer. Lots of coffee and chocolate on the nose. The alcohol was also present in the background. 4.5

T: I didn't feel like the aroma completely came through in the taste. The flavors were there just not as pronounced. More of the roasted grain flavor was present in the taste. I also got some slight acidity/sourness on the tongue, but this played a very minor roll. Alcohol had a nice warming effect and was welcomed in the overall taste. Good tasting beer altogether.

F: Medium/Full bodied stout. It has a dryness that makes it very smooth going down with a little warming.

O: I'm very happy with this beer. It has an abv that is on the high side for the style but Schlafly made it work very well as all the other characteristics were present. My only let down was that the smell trumped the taste. That's not saying that the taste was off in any way.

Appearance: a jet black color with a light fingers worth of tan head that leaves little spots.

Smells: a roasted bread malt with significant hop character. some bitter sweet chocolate as it warms up come out strong in a nice way.

tastes: as the nose insisted with a light coffee note which I really enjoy.

mouthfeel: at 8% this has a light body alcohol presence. The carbonation lasts but its light towards the end but not in a bad way at all.

Overall: I payed $2 for a single if this and I honestly hope there are more when I go back because I only have one left and I would like to have more than that if possible. I like this stout quite a bit. Going to call it my St. Patrick's day brew this year and hopefully from here on out.

Appearance: This beer pours black as the ace of spades and is topped with ¾” of tan colored head that leaves rather quickly.
Smell: The smell is just as one would expect coming from an Irish Stout roasted notes dominate but there is a sweet aroma that has me thinking.
Taste: The taste of this stout is rather complex. It has roasted flavor along with the dry finish but the sweetness that the beer has I really enjoy and makes it one tasty brew.
Mouthfeel: Thick and heavy like a stout should be but it is easy drinking for a stout making for a rather enjoyable brew.

I had this at the Schlafly Tap Room when I was in St. Louis a month or so ago and really enjoyed it. I picked up a six pack there and am finally getting around to reviewing it.

A: Nice and impenetrable black with a gorgeous mocha-colored head that starts out at a finger and recedes fully after about a minute. The lacing is thin, with a mixture of dots and boomerangs.

S: Roasted malts and coffee are the first scents I pick up... I've got to let this warm up a bit. Some vanilla and milk chocolate smells are also apparent. There is a hint of booze mingling in with the other aromas, as well as some earthy, wet soil.

T: I'm convinced that this is a beer that should be drank at room temperature, and no lower. The sad thing is, I knew this before I started this review and still cracked it when slightly chilled. That said, when at proper temperature, this is a tasty brew. The roasted malt flavors are probably the dominant aspect of the taste, but it is pretty well balanced by the vanilla and chocolate notes. The finish is a little more as astringent and coffee-like than I remember it being on tap.

M: Good and creamy, but nothing that blows my mind. It could be bigger and play with all parts of my palate a bit more.

D: This went down easily and I would certainly have another. The slight astringent taste on the finish prohibits me from giving this more of a boost.

12oz brown bottle bottle with a bottled on date for freshness though I think this one could cellar without a problem.

A- Pours out a black colored liquid with slight hues of dark brown at the edges of the glass. Good two fingers of tan head subside to a thin bubbly lace.

S- Soft charcoal aroma with a faint alcohol and dark berry nose.

T&M- Slick and full bodied with a semi- crisp smoothness that rolls over the tongue. Dark chocolate, slight char and toasted grain with a modest hop bitterness. Alcohol is noticeable but still deceiving @ 8.0% abv, hints of black berries and currants come to mind. Finishes a little bitter sweet but more sweet from the residuals.

D- Not as refined as other Export Style Stouts, a bit rough and the roasted character is not as defined and in your face as I had expected. Still a good beer, no doubt about that ... I just think it misses the mark for the style a little bit.

Thanks to Vancer for this extra bottle for the BA Anny Club. Slight head. Very dark. Not a whole lot of smell. Nice taste of malt with no alcohol taste noted. I was surprised this had an ABV of 8%. Very drinkable. I have not had too many dry stouts (except those by Victory & Sly Fox) but this is a good brew.

Light black in color with just the tiniest trace of light seeping partially through the glass. There's a quarter inch of tan head resting on top. Light lacing. The aroma is some nice dark malt aroma and perhaps a bit of coffee. The flavor is a moderate dose of dark and yet lightly sweet malt. The mouth is a tad creamy, silky smooth, and bone dry.

Sent to me in an enormous package of generosity from rsyberg01 for the holiday sponsor a BA. Thanks again Ric!

Appearance- Pours an opaque black with about a half finger of dark brown head that dies back to a coating over the surface of the beer in short order.

Smell- Lots of rich roast coming through in the nose. A fair amount of burnt coffee coming through as well. Smells like a good mixture of sweet, rich, and bitter.

Taste- Rich roasted malt with burnt aspects of coffee and bitter chocolate showing through as well. A nice combination and that characteristic soda bread quality in Irish dry stouts makes a showing here as well. Subtle and well crafted.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability- Mouthfeel becomes just a touch thin as the beer warms but pretty adequate. The flavor profile is rich but not overpowering, and I could see this being a nice session beer if the mood was right.

Overall, a very nice example of the style. I liked this one and would definitely have it again.

12 oz bottle served in a goblet.
Looks and smells like a typical Irish Stout, but tasting reveals a slightly high (and a bit too lively) carbonation level and more generous use of hops. The nose is more spicy than usual too. Relatively complex flavor with hints of chocolate, coffee, molasses and dried fruit. Near even sweet/bitter balance. Head has weak retention.

Pours one shade from black with a one-finger tan head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of smooth roasted malt with mild amounts of black patent malt and cocoa powder. Also present are very mild hints of smokiness.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Black and roasted malt flavors kick things off, each sharing 50% of the profile. Midway through the sip cocoa powder and hints of leafy hops enter into things, carrying through to a solidly bitter finish.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with smooth carbonation.

Drinkability is also good. I finished my glass without a problem and could have another.

Overall I thought this was a bit too far on the roasty side to be a traditional export stout but that doesn't mean it's not a tasty beer. Well worth a shot.